Capt. America Sam Wilson Vol 1-4 Review: The Book Black People Have Been Waiting For

Issue No.: #1-18
Cover Price: $3.99
Publisher: Marvel
Writer: Nick Spencer
Artist: Daniel Acuna
Synopsis: When Steve Rogers was restored to his natural age, he chose one of his closest and most trusted allies to take up his shield. Now Sam Wilson, formerly the Avenger known as Falcon, carries on the fight for liberty and justice as the all-new, all-different Captain America!

The Book We Should All Be Reading

Sam and Misty developing a relationship

Marvel has been doing a fantastic job integrating its characters and giving more spotlight to minority and women characters and Nick Spencer’s Sam Wilson Captain America is the best of the Bunch. Essentially Sam took over for Steve Rogers when he lost his Super Solider Serum, and has taken up the Mantle of Captain America in his own way. Sam decided to have a voice on issues in American including those involving race, immigration, lgbt rights and other “controversial” issues and predictably America does not get behind him 100%. Sam battles Hydra, Steve, Sons of the Serpents and now the AmeriCops who are a super powered private police force who are using over policing to “clean-up” the streets.

Sam Take on Police Brutality

The Americops brutally arrest Rage

*Some Spoilers*

Just like in real life, right wing commentators often talk about the violence in the inner cities and think the only solution is more policing, ignoring that policing is part of the problem. In this book a senator, a conservative radio host and a rich businessman come together to create a private super powered police force called the Americops. The Americops went into the cities and basically took away right of the citizens and don’t have any understanding for nuance. Sam Wilson had been hearing stories about these guys, but he has been under fire for taking stances on so many issues and their was already a movement for him to give the shield back since Steve Rogers came back. This all came to a climax when Rage (a young black super hero) was beatdown and arrested for allegedly robbing a liquor store. This footage was caught on film by Sam and he had to make a decision to release the footage and create chaos, but show the world the truth, or keep the footage. Sam spoke with all his closest friends including Steve and ultimately decided to stand with Black Live Matter and release the footage. This is just one example of the real life issues that Nick Spencer is writing about in this book and using Sam Wilson as a vehicle to portray these. In each of these issues just like in real life there are people saying Sam is to political, to divisive all while holding up white supremacist.

Hyrda Capt

This is all happening concurrently with Steve Rogers secretly being an evil Hydra agent because of the Red Skull and a sentient cosmic cube. Steve Rogers memories have been replaced and he has become an agent of Hydra and is in the process of starting a secret empire. Steve has been leading Sam on throughout this book and the two of them will eventually have a come to Jesus moment.